Wayne Bowman (Login Wayne_B) HyperScale Forums from IP address 184.148.112.115
I've got the Airdata book on the Tornado, and in it is a section on the Italian ECR variant. What I'm confused about is that it my my understanding that all ECR vaiants (German & Italian) had the cannons removed and faired over, yet the book shows some A/C, identified as ECRs and carrying HARMs, that still have the cannon installed. The squadron markings are also identical to oher A/C shown that are clearly ECRs with no cannon present.
Can anyone clarify this for me. Is this a hunter/killer concept with the squadron operating IDS (carrying HARMs) and ECRs in pairs.
Italian Air Force converted only 15 Tornado to ECR variant
April 17 2011, 1:13 AM
all of these variant had the guns removed. But 15 was not a sufficient number for a Squadron (155°gruppo) so a few (3-4)standard IDS were also assigned to that Squadron and painted with sharkmouths (one was also painted in Special Colours). Unfortunately many people, including journalists, use to identify ECR by Squadron/Wing isignas more than on specific aiframe modifications.
So you are right: all ECR had both guns removed.
The captions of some photos are wrong.
IDS assigned to 155°Gruppo use to fly with HARMs for training (since that is the only weapon assigned to the Air Base in Piaceza along Sidewindes) but so far I have only seen captive missiles on them.
Hope this claryfy your doubs.
Ciao
Paolo
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